Spring arrives every year cloaked with the colours of joy for most people and the horrors of allergy season for others. It is hard to appreciate how vibrant and lively the atmosphere becomes with a mucous blockade giving you a splitting headache. And while staying indoors and keeping an EpiPen nearby is popular advice, it’s also quite counter-intuitive. It is possible to take steps that ensure your reaction against the pollen is minimised. Finding natural ways to combat the allergy season will not just help you feel more at ease, but will also allow you to take up all the opportunities you would have otherwise missed.
1. Make use of essential oils:
Essential oils have become a joint agent against sleeplessness or skin conditions, but many do not know how beneficial they are in allergy season. Most essential oils contain anti-inflammatory properties that reduce any swelling caused by allergens and ease air passageways. For instance, Peppermint oil is quite ideal if you face a lot of congestion and difficulty breathing. Recently, researchers have also begun exploring eucalyptus oil and its applications in aromatherapy. Many studies have shown that diffusing eucalyptus oil into the air helps people breathe and removes chest congestion.
Another essential oil that you must add to your drawer of necessities is Lavender oil. What makes this oil so unique is that it can serve as a preventive agent against allergies. The oil prevents mucous cells from enlarging and causing blockades across your sinuses. It also soothes any swelling or irritation that may have occurred on the skin.
It is always better to diffuse the oils as they can be too strong otherwise. Diffusing a small amount into the air or your bathtub will be enough to help you feel at ease.
2. Always stay hydrated:
It’s been said many times like a cliche but being hydrated is the key to staying healthy. During an allergic reaction, the body is producing a compound called histamine. When the histamines try to dismantle and destroy the allergens entering our system, we face the symptoms of an allergy attack.
Histamine also functions to keep as much water stored within the body as possible. When your water levels are low, the histamine production increases and with it, the symptoms of your allergy attack. Hence, staying hydrated plays a vital role in reducing your symptoms.
3. Inhale some steam:
Steam should be your new best friend for anyone looking for urgent relief against an allergic reaction. The warm vapours slowly seep into your blocked cavities and help break down the stiff mucous. It helps you quickly drain away from the excessive fluids that are flowing through your sinuses.
You can buy a proper steamer and spend a few minutes inhaling the steam every night, or you can take a domestic approach towards the practice. Boil some water and transfer it to a bowl. Spread a towel above your head, bend in front of the bowl, so the vapours of steam directly meet your face. Spending 10 minutes inhaling steam like this every day will provide massive relief.
4. Apple cider vinegar:
A remedy entirely unheard of is the use of apple cider vinegar as a deterrent against allergies. Though there are not many studies to provide logic for this occurrence, apple cider vinegar’s effectiveness in allergy season has been proved many times. One of the reasons behind this efficiency, however, could be that apple cider vinegar contains potassium. Potassium aids in reducing the thickness of mucus or thinning it out completely. Hence, it eases with blockades. It is also known to be anti-inflammatory. All you have to do is mix a teaspoon into your glass of water and sip it down. The taste might be sharp and intense, but the impact will surely be soothing.
5. Turn to nature:
Turning to natural remedies will change your life. There are many herbs and natural ingredients such as garlic that contain compounds essential for maintaining a robust immune system and battling allergy symptoms. For instance, Rosemary contains rosmarinic acid. It is an antioxidant and an anti-inflammatory agent; hence, Rosemary helps fight allergies and asthma attacks. Another prevalent herb is the Stinging Nettle Leaf. Experts have raved about how it can prevent a multitude of inflammatory episodes. Garlic, your go-to ingredient for a good dinner, can also be your number one remedy for spring. It contains quercetin, one of the most effective components against symptoms of allergies. Nature does have the cure to all our problems, so we should do all we can to make proper use of it.
You should not have to stay inside and hoard up against the world when it is at its most beautiful. But, with these tips in mind, you won’t have to. Now, you can enjoy spring without the liabilities.